Thousands of people across the globe will tune into the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s WWSP 90FM campus radio station April 19-21 to compete in the world’s largest trivia contest.
“Trivia 44: That’s Not All Folks!” begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 19, and ends 54 hours later at midnight on Sunday, April 21. This year’s contest pays homage to the mistaken Mayan calendar as the campus station marks 45 years of broadcasting. Audiences may listen to the contest at 89.9 FM or online at http://90fm.org.
Registration is $30 per team and must be completed in advance at the 90FM studios, between 3-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, April 15-18; and between noon and 6 p.m. on Friday, April 19. Teams can also register online at www.90fmtrivia.org, where complete rules, team listings and registration information are available. All Trivia profits are used for scholarships and general operations of the radio station.
New to the festivities this year is “The Trivia Kick-off Gig: A Beatles Tribute,” a concert featuring local bands The Hi-Matics, Haunter, and Farmer Dave and The Crops. It will be held Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Basement Brewhaus of the Dreyfus University Center on campus. It is free and open to the public.
The Trivia Kick-off Movie will be shown Friday, April 12, at midnight and on Saturday, April 13, at 10:30 a.m. and midnight at Rogers Cinema, 2725 Church St., Stevens Point. Admission is $3 to this to-be-announced movie.
The annual Trivia Kick-off Parade begins at 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, in Lot Q at Fourth and Illinois avenues. It continues on Maria Drive, Isadore and Portage streets to College Avenue, Reserve, High and Fremont streets to Sims Avenue, ending at P.J. Jacobs Junior High School.
During Trivia, eight questions are broadcast on 90FM each hour, and teams have the length of two songs to call in their answers. A variety of special questions include those that require a treasure-hunt around Stevens Point. Teams with correct answers are given an equal share of the 2,000 points each question is worth, with a minimum of five points and a maximum of 500 points. Trophies are given to the 10 teams with the highest point totals.
Trivia began in 1969 with 16 teams and was first broadcast on 90FM the following year. The nonprofit, student-run radio station is the largest of its kind in the Midwest. In addition to Trivia, WWSP hosts Dylan Days, Jazzfest, Beatlesfest and Radiothon as part of its annual programming.
For more information, contact UW-Stevens Point student Mitchel De Santis, WWSP program director, at 715-370-0649, or Jim Oliva, Trivia coordinator, at 715-321-0601.